General Motors is slaying the 2017 Detroit Auto Show with new metal, including the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. This three-row crossover continues the Traverse’s reign of family-friendly utility, but adds a high-class exterior and upper middle-class interior to the mix, finally reliving the Traverse’s ageing design that’s been around since 2009.

Although a mid-cycle refresh for the 2014 model year kept the hot-selling Traverse moving off Chevy showrooms, the 2018 Traverse marks the first generational change in the nameplate’s history. This new second-generation Traverse now has a far more upscale exterior that shares design cues with the Tahoe and Suburban, along with Chevy’s smaller crossovers and sedans.

The 2018 Traverse rides on GM’s new C1XX platform. Though this is the same platform that underpins the 2017 GMC Acadia, the Traverse’s footprint is larger, allowing for more interior space. Its eight-passenger seating remains, making it one of the segment’s most versatile contenders. Optional second-row captain's chairs reduce seating to seven, but provide an easier third-row entrance while giving second-row passengers more personal space. Chevy says it has 98.5 cubic feet of cargo room and 33.7-inches of third-row legroom. Both figures are expected to be best-in-class for 2018.

Chevy is introducing a new engine inside the 2018 Traverse. Acting as the standard engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder comes mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The engine makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, which is more twist than the Traverse’s optional 3.6-liter V-6 produces.

Speaking of the V-6, it’s the same carryover 3.6-liter as before. It does get a power boost to 305 horsepower, but torque remains at 260 pound-feet. It comes mated to the same nine-speed automatic as the four-cylinder.

Two new trim levels arrive for 2018. A new RS trim acts as the entry-level model and is exclusively paired with the 2.0-liter turbo-four. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Traverse gets Chevy’s High Country trim with the same saddle-leather style seating found in the Silverado High Country. Suede accents in the seats, 20-inch wheels, D-Optic LED headlights, and a trim-exclusive dual-clutch AWD system set the High Country apart.

Chevy expects the 2018 Traverse to hit showrooms in the fall of 2017. Assembly will happen at GM’s Lansing Delta Township plant.

Continue reading for more information.

Why It Matters

Chevy has done an amazing job reinventing the Traverse. Gone is the bubbly look from before, replaced with a sharp, angular design that ties the Traverse with the Tahoe and Suburban. The look is far more upscale than before. Impressively, the Traverse appears to have an impressive amount of ground clearance for a crossover. This could help attract buyers looking for something more rugged than the average minivan replacement can muster.

While the 2.0-liter turbo-four does have more torque than the 3.6-liter V-6, the latter is the one to choose. It provides more horsepower and a higher towing capacity (5,000 pounds). The new nine-speed automatic will certainly help with fuel economy, as well. Chevy estimates the V-6 Traverse with FWD will achieve 25 mpg highway.

Safety wise, the 2018 Traverse gets some upgraded equipment. Optional is a Surround Vision camera system, the D-Optic LED headlights (standard on High Country and Premier trims), Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Front Pedestrian Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Low and High-Speed Forward Automatic Braking, and Teen Driver.

Technology equipment includes 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a pair of new infotainment screens. Coming standard is a seven-inch unit, while upper trim levels get an eight-inch unit. Both come loaded with Chevy’s latest MyLink software. All three rows come with USB charging ports, and a slew of pockets and cubby holes help keep “stuff” from piling up. A total of 10 cup/bottle holders are scattered throughout the cabin, as well. The upper trim levels also avail of a power-folding third-row bench.

Pricing, of course, has not been announced, but Chevy will break that news closer to the 2018 Traverse’s on-sale date in the fall of 2017. Stay tuned to TopSpeed for a more detailed review on the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse in the coming days.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse - Drivetrain Specifications

3.6L V-6 VVT DI

Available Ecotec 2.0L Turbocharged I-4

Displacement (cu in / cc):

223 / 3,649

122 / 1,998

Bore & stroke (in / mm):

3.74 x 3.37 / 95 x 85.8

3.39 x 3.39 / 86 x 86

Block material:

cast aluminum w/ cast-in-place iron bore liners

cast aluminum w/ cast-in-place iron bore liners

Cylinder head material:

cast aluminum

cast aluminum

Valvetrain:

DOHC, four valves per cylinder, continuous VVT

DOHC, four valves per cylinder, continuous VVT

Fuel delivery:

high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control

high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control

GM-est. Horsepower

305 HP @ 6,800 RPM (est.)

255 HP @ 5,500 RPM (est.)

GM-est. Torque

260 LB-FT @ 2,800 RPM (est.)

295 LB-FT @ 3,000 RPM (est.)

GM-estimated fuel economy (city / hwy):

18 / 25 (FWD)

20 / 23 (FWD)

Transmission:

Hydra-Matic 9T50 nine-speed automatic

Hydra-Matic 9T50 nine-speed automatic


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